The invention relates to a sliding and lifting roof construction for vehicles, having a rigid cover, which in its closed position closes an opening in a fixed roof surface, which cover is mounted on guide rails that extend parallel to the side edges of the roof opening, and which, by way of raising devices disposed at both of its sides, selectively can be raised by lifting of its rear end above the fixed roof surface, or can be slidably displaced by lowering its rear end below the fixed roof surface. The invention also relates to a tiltable, sliding roof liner panel which is slidably displaced together with the cover and which panel, upon lifting of the roof cover, is induced into a raising movement that, starting from an initial point of the cover's closed position is faster than the lifting movement of the cover.
In a known sliding lifting roof of this kind (German No. GM 81 07 603), the roof and the tiltable sliding roof liner panel are connected with at least one hinged element which has two connecting members. One connecting member is supported at one end of the sliding roof liner panel, while at the other end there is engagement with a tension spring. The other connecting member engages the center area of the first connecting member and is supported at the cover. The connecting members are tensioned by the tension spring along the lines of a buckling effect. The end of the tension spring opposite its connection to the hinge element, is mounted on a drive element that is displaceable along a guide track that runs up onto a ramp on the sliding roof liner panel, thereby keeping the sliding roof liner panel in a closed position. During the initial phase of the cover's lifting movement, the drive element disengages itself from the ramp. Under the influence of the tension spring, the sliding roof liner panel is tilted upwardly faster than the cover itself. This has the advantage that in intermediate positions of the raised cover, and particularly at the beginning of the lifting movement, the raised sliding roof liner panel reveals a full or extensive view into the area of the back end of the cover. In the known design, the tension spring, however, has to be of relatively heavy construction in order to prevent vibration of the sliding roof liner panel and rattling noises when the cover is fully or partially raised. The force of the tension spring has to be overcome by the roof cover drive when closing the cover. This necessitates a construction of the cover drive which is substantially heavier than would be required for the movement of the cover alone.
Thus, the primary objective of the invention is to provide a sliding and lifting roof of the kind mentioned which can be operated in a reliable and safe manner while employing a comparatively lighter drive.
This objective is achieved by the present invention in that the tiltable sliding roof liner panel, at least on one of its sides, is coupled with a pivotable lifting arm, whose pivoting movement is positively guided, dependent upon the movement of a lifting lever of a lifting mechanism at the same side of the cover, so as to produce a pivotal movement characteristic which deviates from that of the cover.
The positive guidance feature of the invention eliminates the need for springs for the displacement of the slidable roof liner panel. Accordingly, the drive of the sliding lifting roof does not require additional power to overcome the tensioning force of such springs. A tendency of the tiltable sliding roof liner panel to vibrate, or to have other uncontrolled movements, is effectively counteracted.
A particularly sturdy construction is obtained when, in accordance with a futher feature of the invention, the lifting arm and the lifting lever which guides it, are coupled by a sliding guide means. Advantageously, the sliding guide means is designed to simultaneously serve as a device for holding down the tiltable sliding roof liner panel when the cover is in a closed or lowered position. The sliding guide means, preferably, is designed so that it imposes a constant height upon the tiltable sliding roof liner panel, relative to the guide rails, when the cover is in a closed or lowered position.
The connection between the lifting arm and the sliding roof liner panel is advantageously achieved by a slider, forming part of the sliding guide means, which is pivotably secured to the lifting arm, which slider is rotatable about an axis extending parallel to the pivot axis of the tiltable sliding roof liner panel and is displaceable in a longitudinal direction relative to the sliding roof liner panel. Such a design configuration facilitates a particularly easy assembly of the sliding lifting roof.
Preferably, the slider can be slidably engaged with an angular lifting bracket at the upper side of the tiltable sliding roof liner panel. One end of the lifting arm advantageously is pivotally connected to a support member of the lifting mechanism, which is mounted to be displaceable along the guide rails.
A particularly compact design of the assembly is obtained when the lifting arm and the lifting lever are arranged in a laterally side-by-side configuration, and the lifting lever has a connecting bolt which engages a guide slot in the lifting arm.